


The Vexation of Midorima

by the_crazyones



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-30
Updated: 2014-03-30
Packaged: 2018-01-17 13:32:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1389535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_crazyones/pseuds/the_crazyones
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Midorima falls sick, he has to suffer through a parade of visitors.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Vexation of Midorima

If Midorima thought Takao was insufferable before, he was nothing compared to now.  
  
It all started when Midorima had to acquire a lucky item, of course. The lucky item in question was a “seashell having tasted the salts of a crashing, coursing wave”. Naturally, Midorima went to Kasai Rinkai Park, the nearest beach, to procure it, but had had to stand in the sea for a little over an hour trying to grab a seashell floating in a wave. Despite his quick reflexes, snatching a seashell from a wave was more difficult than he anticipated (not to mention having to tune out all the children shouting and pointing out at him, and parents hurriedly shuffling them away). By the time he obtained it, he had been basking too much in his own success and glory to change his clothes immediately. Which was why he was now suffering a cold, despite the season being summer, and Takao was now milking it for all its worth.  
  
"So, Shin-chan, tell me again what a  _lucky_  item is supposed to do? Wasn’t it supposed to bring  _luck_? So then does the luck not kick in  _when_ you’re trying to get the said item? Ah! Or did the luck from the previous item expire when you were trying to replace it?” Takao chuckled in mirth as he exaggeratedly fussed around Midorima, trying to bury him in more pillows and fluffing them up with great ceremony.  
  
Midorima irritatedly swatted Takao’s hands (and pillows) away and hissed, “Yes, Takao, I do notice the irony you are currently trying too hard to specify. Weren’t you supposed to have practice?”  
  
Takao sighed in his amusement, and then said, “Well, yeah, but obviously I showered and changed in record speeds to come visit you. Ah, don’t worry, Shin-chan, I told everyone about your pitiful situation, so they’re all coming to visit you now!” He grinned brightly at Midorima.  
  
At Takao’s comment on the speed at which he showered, Midorima crinkled his nose and tried to lean away from Takao. And then he paused as the rest of Takao’s sentence impacted him. “What do you mean ‘everyone’?”  
  
Takao winked. “ _Everyone.”_  
  
At that moment, the door burst open, and Otsubo, Miyaji and Kimura walked in.  
  
Midorima’s eye twitched. His hands itched to strangle Takao.  
  
"Ah,  _senpai,_ you guys are finally here!” Takao proclaimed joyfully.  
  
Otsubo sniffed. “Well, not all of us could have showered at the speed you did, Takao.” He looked at Takao with slightly widened eyes. “That was really quite impressive.” Takao just crossed his arms and nodded with pride.  
  
"Hey, Midorima, you don’t look as bad as I thought you would be…" said Kimura, squinting at Midorima. "But considering the fact that the source of our information was Takao…I guess you’re not actually puking your guts out, coughing uncontrollably and turning as green as your hair?"  
  
Midorima choked. “It’s just the common cold!”  
  
Everyone turned to glare at Takao, who was laughing himself silly in the corner.  
  
Miyaji gritted his teeth, and said, “I feel like throwing this pineapple at you, Takao! But…” He looked awkwardly at the pineapple wrapped with a purple ribbon on his hand. “The team got this for you, Midorima.” He placed it on Midorima’s bedside table. “The purple ribbon is because Oha Asa said it was your lucky colour today,” he explained awkwardly.  
  
Midorima looked at the pineapple and swallowed a comment about the purple ribbon tied haphazardly around the crown of the fruit. Obviously the Shuutoku boys had no decoration sense. He cleared his throat and said, “Thank you. I will…appreciate the fruit once I am well.”  
  
As everyone shuffled awkwardly and Takao observed the scene with great amusement, the door to Midorima’s bedroom burst open again, and there was a pink and yellow flash of colour.  
  
"Midorimacchi~!" came a wail, and at the same time, "Midorin~!" Otsubo had to restrain himself from clutching his heart as Kise and Momoi barrelled onto Midorima’s bed. And promptly stopped in perplexity as Midorima accidentally let out an undignified yelp.  
  
"Say, Midorimacchi, you’re not as sick as I expected…" Kise frowned in puzzlement. Momoi tilted her head and agreed, "Weren’t you supposed to be at least slightly green?"  
  
At this, the Shuutoku team turned to glare at Takao again, Midorima giving an especially deep scowl.  
  
"Hey, hey, guys, give Midorima some space, sheesh…" drawled a voice, and everyone turned to see Aomine as he sauntered into the room with his hands in his pockets. He snorted childishly and said, "You don’t want him to puke all over you."  
  
At this, Midorima exclaimed frustratedly, “I only have the common cold!” He threw a pillow at Takao, who had been unsuccessfully trying to stifle his laughs behind his hands.  
  
Momoi and Kise raised their eyebrows in astonishment, while Aomine just frowned and said, “Oh…” while rubbing his neck. Then he paused, and said confusedly, “But hey, wasn’t all your horoscope shit supposed to prevent something like this?”  
  
Midorima sighed, and said, “Everything I do according to the horoscopes is meant to be in the best of my ability. It is simply not rational to assume that the horoscopes can miraculously prevent something like illness, which is an anomalous occurrence-“  
  
"Okay, okay, Midorimacchi! We get it," Kise said quickly to cut off Midorima’s boring lecture. "Um, I don’t think this is relevant anymore, but here, I got you some cosmetic products that were supposed to help you cover any greenish complexion." He plonked the box next to the pineapple. Momoi smiled cheerfully and said, "Mmm-hmm! Ki-chan was very thoughtful about that! Ah, Dai-chan and I got you some premium vitamins to help your immune system!" She placed the packet next to Kise’s box. "And-also-some-stomach-medicine." was said in a rush.  
  
Midorima adjusted his spectacles and was going to awkwardly thank the group, when everyone was once again interrupted by the door opening. This time, Kuroko and Kagami walked in.  
  
After glancing in surprise at the number of people around Midorima’s bed, Kagami turned to look at Midorima, and started to say, “Hey, man, we heard you were so sick, you were just barfing up so much shi-“  
  
"It’s just a cold," Midorima cut Kagami off quickly.  
  
After glancing at Takao in confusion, Kagami just grinned and said, “Your voice sounds so nasal, it’s a huge improvement.”  
  
"What Kagami-kun means to say is that we hope you will get better soon," Kuroko interjected when he saw Midorima bristle like a mother hen. He placed some books on Midorima’s growing pile of gifts, and said, "These are some Oha Asa books on illness. I thought they would be helpful if you want to prevent a situation like this happening again."  
  
Midorima was touched, even if Kuroko’s blood type was incompatible, this was by far one of the best gifts he could have gotten.  
  
"There is also a book on being careful when acquiring lucky items. After all, I think we would all agree that it would be very silly of you to keep deliberately causing misfortune onto yourself every time you tried to procure a lucky item. That would defeat the purpose entirely," Kuroko continued.  
  
Midorima tried to forget he had any nice thoughts about Kuroko from the beginning. But before he could open his mouth to defend himself…  
  
"Tetsuya is right. Your actions were foolish."  
  
Everyone jumped in shock. Takao actually hugged one of the pillows Midorima had thrown at him, Midorima jerked so hard, some of the pillows Takao added fell to the floor, Otsubo pretended that he hadn’t jumped behind Miyaji and Kimura, Kise actually looked like the human subject of Edvard Munch’s ‘The Scream’, Momoi grabbed Aomine’s sleeve and hid behind Kuroko, and Kagami flailed wildly for a moment, before everyone realised it was just Akashi and Murasakibara who had come in.  
  
Aomine thrust his hands into his pockets and scowled at Akashi. “Sheesh, do you always  _have_ to make some kind of superhuman entrance?” Kagami privately agreed with Aomine…and refused to admit that he was probably the only one who was brave enough to point out Akashi’s paranormal tendencies.  
  
Akashi directed his dichromatic gaze at Aomine and calmly stated, “I’m afraid I do not know what you mean.” He turned back to Midorima. “Shintarou. Your pursuit for the lucky item this time was in ridiculous proportions. It is fortunate that your illness was not at the level at which Takao Kazunari has embellished.”  
  
(Takao was not surprised that Akashi had seen through his exaggerations…that boy was just not normal.)  
  
"Read the books Tetsuya has acquired for you. I do not want to hear that you have fallen ill because of another absurd lucky item undertaking." Akashi placed some books on Kuroko’s pile. "Also, read these books. They are books on improving your shogi abilities." As Midorima wilted slightly, Akashi continued, "I thought it would be useful to build your shogi prowess while you are recuperating. I would like you to pose a bigger challenge." He turned to Murasakibara. "Atsushi."  
  
Murasakibara nodded, and placed a plastic bag filled with snacks, no surprises, on Midorima’s gift pile. “Midochin~…these are some of my favourite snacks…there is  _maiu-bo, potechi tops,_ chocolate, and tube ice lolly…” He paused to scratch his head. “Eh…I now see that these are actually quite unhealthy…so you should only eat them when you are healthy…” He looked at the snacks again. “Ah…but then the tube ice lollies might melt, and they are tastier when frozen…so I will take some, so that they won’t go to waste…” He took out several of the lollies. “Ah, and I want the cream stew  _maiu-bo_ too…” He took it out.  
  
Murasakibara was looking at the bag again, and Midorima was about to say that he could just have everything, when Akashi said again, “Atsushi. We have to go.” Murasakibara looked up, nodded, and then, as though the pair hadn’t just commanded the attention of the whole room, both turned to walk out.  
  
Midorima quickly said, “Thank you for these, Akashi, Murasakibara.” Akashi just looked at him from the corner of his eyes, nodded once, and started to walk out. But before he moved, he paused, and then turned back to the bedside table. He took a quick stride towards it, and quickly rearranged the purple ribbon on the pineapple the Shuutoku team had given Midorima. Otsubo winced. That was  _not_ a good impression Shuutoku had given Akashi, with their erratic ribbon-tying.  
  
After he finished retying the ribbon into a beautiful bow, Akashi exhaled quietly (did Takao sense a little relief?), and then walked out without a backward glance. Murasakibara, with the snacks gathered in his arms, said, “Get better, Midochin~…” and followed Akashi out.  
  
Without realising it, everyone let out a breath they had been holding. They all looked uncomfortably at each other, and then Kise said nervously, “Well, I have to get back to Kanagawa area, so…” But before he could continue, Midorima said, “Wait.”  
  
He took a deep breath. He fiddled with his spectacles, and then said quietly, “I just want to…express my gratitude to everyone here for coming…and for all your gifts. They were…thoughtful, though misplaced because of misinformation.” He stopped to glare at Takao. Then he paused as a thought struck him and then said more confidently, “Actually, no.” He looked up to glare at everyone. “I want to say that you all shouldn’t have come here. You had practice! You should all have continued as you were, practising faithfully and without wavering-“  
  
But he was cut off by Miyaji whacking him on the head (was it more gentle than usual?), and Aomine yawning and saying, “Yeah, yeah whatever. I’m leaving.” He took Momoi’s wrist to pull her with him, as she smiled on her way out, “Midorin~! Let me know if those vitamins work!”  
  
One by one, everyone left Midorima’s room, chattering in their own little groups (Kimura was saying to Miyaji that he  _had_ to learn how Akashi tied the ribbon because the pineapple looked so presentable he wanted to emulate it in his fruits shop; and Kise was whining to Kuroko about wanting to give him the same complexion cosmetics set because the boy was too ghostly pale) until only Takao was left.  
  
He grinned cheekily at Midorima. “So, Shin-chan, wasn’t it  _so nice_  to know that so many people care about you?”  
  
Midorima just pushed up his spectacles and said, “Hmph.”


End file.
